Teachers in viral pro-Talarico T-shirt photo work for Texas district sued over Ten Commandments displays
Teachers from a Texas school district that rejected a state law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments went viral after a photo of them wearing political gear supporting Democratic Rep. James Talarico surfaced amid a closely watched U.S. Senate race between Talarico and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The controversy began Monday when the conservative influencer Libs of TikTok posted an image of five women wearing hats and T-shirts that read “Talarico” in the style of the Topo Chico logo, a popular carbonated soda water in Texas.
According to the post’s caption, “multiple teachers” at Pearson Ranch Middle School in the Round Rock Independent School District (ISD) in the Austin area wore the pro-Talarico gear inside the school.
Spanning the city of Round Rock and portions of Austin, Round Rock ISD serves more than 46,000 students from pre-K to 12th grade.
SCOOP: Multiple teachers at Pearson Ranch Middle School (@RoundRockISD) reportedly posted a picture of themselves wearing T-shirts PROMOTING Democrat James Talarico INSIDE the school. Isn’t it against the law for teachers to promote political candidates inside public schools? We reached out to the school for comment, but they did not respond.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 19, 2026
The Libs of TikTok post also raised questions about teachers promoting political candidates inside public schools.
Texas Education Code Section 11.169 explicitly prohibits the board of trustees of an independent school district from using state or local funds, or any other district resources, to electioneer for or against any candidate, measure, or political party. The statute does not explicitly mention teachers.
Under the state’s government code section 556.004, “A state officer or employee may not use official authority or influence or permit the use of a program administered by the state agency of which the person is an officer or employee to interfere with or affect the result of an election or nomination of a candidate or to achieve any other political purpose.”
It’s not clear whether the Round Rock ISD employees violated either statute. Round Rock ISD did not respond to a CP request for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
Last November, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico's opponent, sued Round Rock ISD as one of two Central Texas school districts for “refusing” to comply with Senate Bill 10, which requires public school districts to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in their classrooms. Round Rock ISD confirmed it had not displayed donated posters, and Leander ISD, which was also sued, said it has complied, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June 2025, SB 10 was implemented last year before it was halted in several districts due to multiple legal challenges. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law 9-8 in April, though other challenges continue.
A Presbyterian (PCUSA) seminarian and former public school teacher, Talarico opposed SB 10 in 2023 and called the measure “deeply un-Christian.” He also described the mandate to display the Ten Commandments as “idolatrous,” adding, “I believe it is exclusionary, and I believe it is arrogant. And those three things, in my reading of the Gospel, are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus.”
The race between Talarico and Paxton remains locked in near-dead heat, with a recent CBS News poll showing Talarico at 51% support compared to Paxton with 49%.
Ian M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ian.giatti@christianpost.com.
